Propeller



March 1"?, 1931. H. F. w. scHLr-:EDE 1,796,540

PROPELLER Filed Dec. 4', 192s 2 sheets-sheet 1 MM@ /g//My @j 7M MM m@ Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATESk Partnr oFFrcE HERMANN ll?. W. SCHLEEDE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PROPEILER Application filed December 4, 1926. Serial No. 152,647.

rl`hisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in propellers and more particularly to that type wherein a plurality of,

- water during a portion of the travel about the body of the propeller.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a propeller of the above character which is particularly adapted for use as a boat propeller and can be readily attached to the boat and disposed either at a vertical or horizontal position, according to the type of boat to which the device is applied, and it' is particularly noted that should the device be used where the water is shallow, it can be readily placed in a horizontal position, thus requiring very little depth of water. for the operation of the same.

A furtherlobject of my invention is the provision of a propeller of the above character wherein novel means is provided for imparting a rotative movement to the individual blades as they are rotated simultaneously about a single axis so that the blades will, during a certain portion of the travel about the single axis, otter resistance to the water through which they are passing so as to have a tendency to propel the boat forwardly, but as soon as they reach a point where they will move in a return through the water, the blades will be feathered to offer the least resistance so that they may readily travel through the water and then be returned to a right angle position where they will be again used for propulsion.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device which can be used as a power unit for obtaining power from a water-fall, a swift moving stream, or enclosed in a casing similar to a turbine with water directed therethrough against the plates so as to produce power for any desired purpose.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. l is a longitudinal section taken through the main propeller, parts of the de- 'vice being illustrated in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the cover por-. tion removed and the axis and connecting pins in cross section;

Fig. 3 is a layout view of the opposed cam tracks;

Fig. 4' is a section taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 1 of the blade supporting members more in detail; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-'5 of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the unit is secured to the clamp supporting means.

Referrin more particularly to the drawi ings, l wis to direct attention to the fact that the main portion of the propeller comprises a rotatably mounted housing consisting of two opposed sections 1 and 2, which are secured together at their edges by means of the bolts 4. The sections 1 and 2 are preferably circular in form and are provided at 'different points with semi-circular recesses wluch, when the two sectlons are broughtv together, form cylindrical openings,the centers of which' will be approximately along the diametrical line ofthe housing so that when the blades to be used in connection with the propeller are properly positioned, they will all be disposed in the same general plane.

The blades are generally indicated by the numeral 7 and have their shaft portions 7 extended through the openings in the housing and are formed with oppositely extended ears or arms 7a bifurcated to receive therein the rollers 8 and the shafts are further provided with a set of oppositely extended ears 9, arranged at right angles to the ears 7a and bifurcated to receive for rotation therein, the rollers 10. Thus, the shaft of each blade 7 is provided with two sets of ears which exlCO arredato tend from opposite sides of the shaft and. carry rollers, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The inner ends of the shafts 7 are disposed i between the bearing block members 8 and 9 and are provided with collars 1 to retain them against longitudinal movement (see Fig. l). The bearing section 8 is connected to the upper portion of the housing by means of screw bolts 12, while the lower portion is connected to the bearing member 8 by means of the screw bolts 11 (see Fig. 2).

The housing is rotatably supported upon a bearing member 6 which in turn is carried by a clamp supporting web plate 16, said web plate being provided with a removable portion 17 detachably connected to the body portion 16 by means of the screw bolts 18 so that the substantially rectangular dove-tail portion 1G may be fitted Ainto position and retained against movement, but can be readily removed when desired.

Arranged within the housing formed by the sections 1 and 2 is a substantially circular base plate 13, the central portion or' which is formed upon its lower face with a bearing shoulder 19 resting upon a similar shoulder formed in the neck 20 of the section 2 of the propeller housing. The outer end of the neck of the plate 13 is provided with a projection 15 which seats in a recess formed in the bearing plate 6 to positively retain the plate 13 against movement during the movement of the housing.

The upper face of the plate 13 is provided with an inner and outer beveled track way 5 and 5', the high portion of the inner track way being disposed diametrically opposite the high portion of the outer track way. Riding upon these track ways 5 and 5 are the two sets of rollers 8 and 10 which are carried by the angularly disposed ears 7a and 9, the rollers 8 riding upon the outer track way with rollers 10 riding upon the inner track way, and it will be noted from the position of the higher portions of the track ways that during the travel of the propeller housing relative to the member 13, the movement of the rollers over the cam track ways will rotate the propeller blades 7 so that when in one position, the blades will be disposed in a plane at right angles to the housing as shown at the right of Fig. 2 to oi'er considerable resistance to the water through which they are being propelled, but as soon as they hav(` passed a certain point, the cam faces will cause the bladesto be moved to a plane substantially parallel with the horizontal axis of the propeller housing so that they will oller very little resistance upon their return movement.

In order to impart movement to the housing a gear 19 is mounted upon the housing and provided with a stabilizing stud shaft 14: which extends through the bearing members 8 and 9 and through the neck portion oit the member 13, the gear being preferably connected to the housing for rotating the same about the member 13.

lit might be mentioned that the plate 13 may be atlixed for non-rotation relative the bearing plate 6 by securing the plate to the stabilizing shaft and then securing the shaft to the bearing plate. A single key may be used for this purpose if desired.

lt will be apparent from the foregoing that l have provided a comparatively simple and inexpensive device which is particularly adapted to use in propelling boats whereby the device may be attached to the boat in a vertical or horizontal position, and is provided with means whereby the propeller blades can be automatically feathered dur ing the travel through the water.

While l have particularly illustrated and described the invention as especially adapted for use as a propeller on boats, attention is directed to the fact that the device may be mounted so as to be disposed in the path of a water-fall whereby the falling water will engage the blades that are disposed in a plane at right angles to the housing or support so that the water will contact with the tlat surface of the tace of the blades and impart a rotating movement of' the housing, which in turn, through its connection with the bevel gear, will serve to produce power to be conveyed. to any parts desired. The device may be also disposed in a horizontal position along the edge of a Jfast moving stream and i so arranged that the greater torce of the water will strike the blades when disposed as set forth above for rotating the gear or pulley which may be attached to the housing or support. The device can also be enclosed in a casing for use in a manner similar to a turbine. 1n fact the device is constructed se that it may be used in various ways along the line mentioned above.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown, and described, and used mentioned.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a clamp supporting means, a base secured to said clamp` a two-part housing member mounted on said base, an adjustable two-part bearing block disposed in the housing and detachably connected to one side of the same, propeller shafts axially mounted for rotation in the housing and their inner cnds held by means between said bearing parts, arms oll'set and at right angles to each other, l'ormed on the shafts, a roller mounted adjacent each end of each arm with the axis of each roller adapted to point to the center of the housing upon movement of the shafts, a plate mounted in the housing in spaced relation to said bearing and one wall of the housing and secured to said base, means consisting of a stabilizing stud shaft firmly associated with said plate, inner and outer continuous cams formed on the plate and having part of their beveled faces extending from said plate, and means for moving the housing whereby said rollers are adapted to cooperate with said cams to impart movement to the propeller shafts.

2. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a clamp supporting means, a base serving as a bearing locked to said clamp by means of a dove-tail joint, a two-part housing member of which a part is formed with a shouldered extension which is mounted on said base, an adjustable two-part bearing block disposed'in the housing and detachably connected to one side ofthe same, propeller shafts axially mounted for rotation in the housing with their inner ends held by means between said bearing parts, arms opposite and at right angles to each other formed on said shafts, a roller mounted adjacent each end of each arm With the respective axis of each roller adapted to at all times point to the center of the housing upon movement of the shafts, a plate disposed in the Ahousing'in spaced relation to said bearing block and one wall of the housing, said plate formed with a shouldered extension adapted to cooperate with the first-mentioned extension and a key provided to secure said plate to said base, inner and outer continuous cams formed on the plate and having part of their beveled faces extending from said plate, means comprising a stud shaft mounted in said housing to act as a stabilizing agent, and means for moving the housing whereby three of the four rollers on each shaft are adapted to cooperate with said cams at all times to impart movement to the propeller shafts.

3. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a clamp supporting means, a base serving as a bearing locked to said clamp by means of a dove-tail joint, a two-part housing member of which a part is formed with a shouldered extension which is mounted on said base, an adjustable two-part bearing block disposed in the housing and detachably connected to one side of the same, propeller shafts axially mounted for rotation in the housing and their inner ends held by means between said bearing parts, arms offone wall of the housing, said plate formed with a shouldered extension adapted to cooperate with the rst'mentioned extension and a key provided to secure said plate to said base, inner and outer continuous cams of relatively wide widths formed on the plate and having part of their beveled faces extending from said plate, and means for moving the housing whereby three of the four rollers on each shaft are adapted to cooperate with said cams at all times to impart movement to the propeller shafts.

4. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a clamp supporting means, a base secured to said clamp, a two-part housing member mounted on said base, a separable two-part bearing block disposed in the housing and detachably connected to one side thereof, propeller shafts axially mounted for rotation in the housing with their inner ends held by means of collars between said bearing parts, arms offset at right angles to each other formed on said shafts and a roller mounted adjacent each end of each arm with the axis of each roller adapted to point to the center of the housing upon movement of the shafts, a plate mounted in the housing in spaced relation to said bearing and one wall of the housing and secured for non-rotation relative said base, means comprising a stud shaft arranged in said housing to serve a stabilizing element, inner and outer continuous cam tracks formed on said plate and designed with level and beveled faces extending therefrom, and means provided for moving the housing whereby said rollers are adapted to cooperate with said cams to impart a predetermined movement of said propeller shafts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

HERMANN F. W. SCHLEEDE.

set and at right angles to each other formed on the shafts, a roller mounted adjacent each end of each arm with the respective axis -of each roller adapted to at all times point to the center of the housing upon movement of the shafts, a plate disposed in the housing in spaced relation to said bearing block and 

